[Note: this post contains the instructions. The pattern pieces are available for download as a pdf file here.]
Like this pattern? Consider sending me a $1 tip through Venmo. My Venmo username is @bryannakj or scan the code below in the Venmo app to find me. No pressure, but thanks to anyone who does!
I love making Easter ties for my boys (including Jon). Last year, I picked out what I thought was some awesome striped fabric for their ties. The fabric had some purple stripes in it and I made me a top out of the same color of purple so that we matched.
Jon wasn’t a fan of the purple and so after Easter was over he never wore it again. So this year, I told Jon to pick out the tie fabric because I didn’t want to make another useless tie. I think he picked out some awesome fabric, even if it’s not all that Eastery.
I’m sharing my tie pattern and instructions, in case anyone else would like to make an Easter tie for a special guy (or Father’s Day will be here soon too).
Men’s Neck Tie Tutorial
Materials:
Tie pattern pieces. Click here to download.
1 yard of main fabric. I suggest medium weight fabrics that have some polyester in them so they’ll resist wrinkling. The fabric for the above tie came from the home decor section at fabric.com so you can look around and be creative in fabric choice.
1 yard of lining fabric. Again, I suggest non-wrinkling fabric, but I prefer lightweight fabric for the lining. I used a polyester blend broadcloth.
A small piece of double fold bias tape, twill tape, or ribbon for the tie keeper.
All seam allowances are 3/8″.
Instructions:
1. Print pattern (make sure fit to page is not clicked) and tape together, matching up the overlap lines (crosses).
2. Cut one front tie and one back tie from main fabric, and one of each from lining fabric. Make sure grain arrow is parallel with the selvage (you will be cutting the tie out on the bias).
Mark your notches.
3. With right sides together (rst) and matching notches, sew front tie to back tie for both the main fabric and lining fabric.
Pinned and ready to sew.
Neaten seam allowances. Press seams open. Press from the front of tie too so it looks nice and crisp.
Now your tie pieces should look like this:
A long, continuous tie in main and lining fabric.
4. With rst, sew lining and main fabric together at only the two ends of the tie (the v-shaped area at both ends).
The two ends of the tie, pinned and ready to sew.
Trim the seam allowances to about 1/8″ at the points. Don’t trim too close to the stitching though, so that your tie doesn’t fall apart over time. Flip tie so the right sides are out. Gently poke the points until they are nice and crisp. Press.
6. Fold tie in half lengthwise, with the lining side facing out.
Sew down the entire length of the tie. I like to backstitch a couple of times at the beginning and end to make sure it’s secure and won’t pull apart when flipping the tie.
Sew all the way down the length of the tie, where it is pinned in this picture.
Center the seam so it’s in the middle of the tie and press seam open.
7. Pin a safety pin to the short end of the tie. Pull the short end through to the other side so that the right side of the tie is facing out.
Safety pinned and ready to pull through.
Making sure seam is in the center of the tie, press tie. This part is very important to making the tie look professional. I iron from the front, then the back, then the front again.
8. Make a tie keeper for the back of the tie by cutting a 3″ long strip from double fold bias tape, twill tape, or ribbon.
Press the short ends of the strip under.
Hand stitch the strip to the back of the tie, about 8 1/2″ up from the front tie bottom. Be careful not to stitch all the way through to the front of the tie.
You are finished! If you have any questions or need help with the instructions, please ask.
I was wondering where you found good fabric? I understand that we are in different regions but maybe that could help me. Thanks
I get most of my fabric from fabric.com. I also use fashionfabricsclub.com frequently too. I hope that helps!
I cannot find the pattern for the men’s neck tie. How do I access it? I have to make 16 for dance class students in 2 days! Please reply. Thank you!
On this post, there is a link to the pattern pieces. It is located right under the “materials” heading. Just click on that and it will take you to craftsy.com so you can download it. If that doesn’t work, then if you email me I can email you the pdf. Thanks!
I’ve just downloaded the tie pattern to use for making Christmas presents. I’m going to handstitch them in silk. I really like that you’ve added a measurement square to the front page because I can be sure that I’ve got the right size now. Thanks Bryanna
Claire (Blackpool, UK)
Pingback: Handmade Holidays Nov. 4: Gifts from Head to Toe | Sew Mama Sew | Outstanding sewing, quilting, and needlework tutorials since 2005.
Hi
I really love your tie and tutorial. I have made several ties using a method where you make a tip each end and it is really difficult to get a nice point. I am going to try your way out and hope I have more success.
🙂
Thank you! I hope it turns out for you!
I almost bought a huge pattern packet at JoAnn’s just for the tie pattern but luckily I found this!! Thank you so much for the clear instructions!! You’re an angel!
Thanks! I hope you enjoy it!
Great tie tutorial. Wondering if you recommend any kind of interfacing to help the tie maintain it’s shape and drape? Or do you find this necessary at all? Looking forward to saving lots of money on hubby’s ties! 🙂 Thanks!
I try to use a medium weight fabric for the main fabric, and then I find I don’t need interfacing. But the other day I made one with a lightweight main fabric, and I did interface that. So if your fabric is lightweight and doesn’t hold its shape very well, then I would use a lightweight interfacing. I hope that helps! Good luck and thanks!
Hi Bryanna
I tried your tie pattern and am really pleased with the result, it took me about half the time doing it your way and I can’t really see any difference in the finished result. I have just started a blog myself and wondered if you would mind me mentioning you and perhaps having a link to your site. If I make something using someone elses pattern I want to obviously give that person the credit they deserve. Thanks again for a wonderful pattern I will be making many more ties your way.
Regards
Caroline
I’m so glad it worked for you! You can definitely link to my site. Thanks so much! I would love to check your blog out if you give me your website 🙂
Hi – Link to my website. I’m new to blogging so just finding my way around linking and uploading. Also hope you appreciate UK sense of humour 🙂
Thanks! By the way, my husband loves British humor. He is a self-proclaimed Anglophile!
Hi! For this pattern, what is the length of the tie in inches and the width? Thanks for the tutorial.
I am unable to download this pattern…please advise…thanks
Don, you have to click on the link in my post that takes you to the pattern pieces on craftsy.com. From there, you need to have a craftsy account, but it’s free. After you have a craftsy account then you can download the pieces. I hope that helps.
Pingback: Christmas Gifts: Men’s Neck Ties | Sweet Shop Sewing
You may find this silly and not worth your tie but being OCD this is driving me crazy! I can’t see well enough anymore, or for that matter feel my hands wrll enough either, to actually do this for myself. My poor husband will end up making a few for me. But if you have any suggestions on how to downsize your pattern to the size a ken doll would need…hey, do I hear you snickering? No fair giggles either. See. I knew it. But seriously even the most expensive doll patterns fail to include much for poor ken and I refuse to buy over and over only to find…bow ties! Finding appropriate fabric is easier. So if you have any ideas. I would like the back half of neck to be elastic and the tie would be forever knotted. I do wondrous dioramas with barbie, Gi joe etc. But my guys cannot be good escorts without ties! Yes. I am serious. Thank you for any help. It would be easier to email me back thru this, my cell phone but if you must use the other I just hope it gets to me. DogsRbetter
I downloaded the pdf, but there seems to be some type of protection on it that prevents me from having the option to print it out. Any idea what this is about?
I’m not sure, but I just emailed you the file and you can see if you can print out that one.
I am unable to print the necktie pattern.
Could you please send the file. I have a
pattern but your tutorial makes the
process look so easy. Thank you.
Sure, I will send it to the skittes email address.
Thank you so much for this tutorial. I made my husband a tie using your pattern and it worked really well. You can find it here if you like.
http://60degreesofinspiration.blogspot.co.uk/2015/03/a-vision-in-purple.html
Thank you
Joanne
Thank-you so much for your patterns and tutorial, I was recently watching both the Great British Sewing Bee and 19 Kids and counting and they were both sewing ties, I got really excited. I was wondering whether the tie can be made out of tweed and what lining I should use, could you please advise.
I hope you enjoy it! I think most any medium weight woven fabric would work for the tie fabric, so I think tweed would work although I’ve never used tweed. For the lining, I like to use a lightweight fabric, such as broadcloth. I hope that helps. Good luck and let me know if you have any more questions!
I am going to be making three ties for a wedding to match the bridesmaid dresses, which are made out of a simple cotton calico. I will definitely need an interfacing since the fabric is pretty light weight – would you recommend an iron on or sewn in interfacing? Also, the men are very tall and need a longer tie than average. Would it be best to lengthen the pattern in the middle? Will I need a yard of fabric for each tie? Thanks for the wonderful instructions! You have eased my mind on making these ties!
I use fusible (iron on) interfacing. I have lengthened the pattern before (We have some tall ones in our family too!) by finding the skinniest part of the pattern (toward the top of the front piece) and slicing that and just adding a little bit there. Hopefully that makes sense. Good luck and let me know if you have any more questions.
And you don’t need a whole yard for each tie if you’re cutting them from the same fabric. It’s just when you cut them on the bias you need a lot of fabric so that you can lay the pieces out on the bias. I can get a few from one yard cut of the same fabric. Thanks!
Pingback: Family Dance Wear! | handmade by leah
I printed out your pattern just after Christmas and finally made my first tie in February for Valentines day! IT was so easy!! I have made a couple more since for my youngest son. My question is this…I have two pieces of fabric with very definite one way prints on them. Would I have the same results if I don’t cut the tie on the bias to better show the prints on the fabric? I know the bias gives a bit of stretch, but is it necessary?
Thank you,
Patti
I’m so glad you’ve been able to use the pattern! I’m going to be honest and say I don’t know if it matters for sure if it’s cut on the bias or not! I’ve read some things that say the tie might become misshapen if not cut on the bias, and I’ve never tried one that’s not cut on the bias. Sorry I can’t be more helpful! I guess you could always experiment with some fabric you don’t care much about and see what happens. I’m sure it depends on the fabric and how well it can hold its shape.
Pingback: Sam Spade and The Maltese Falcon - The Design the Stitch and the Wardrobe
Pingback: Easter Sewing Plans | Sweet Shop Sewing